 Like Daisy, every child deserves a permanent loving home. You can help. Learn more at DaveThomasFoundation.org. Brooke Ellison is a surprising person. When I was 11 years old, I was hit by a car and no one expected me to live. She surprised people by living. I had been paralyzed from the neck down. Not a ventilator since that time. And she surprised them by going to college.